Nursing Grand Rounds: A Strategy for Promoting Evidence-Based Learning Among Pediatric Nurses

Laibhen-Parkes, Natasha

Monday, 18 November 2013

Natasha Laibhen-Parkes, RN, BSN, MSN, CPN
General Pediatric Care Department, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA
Jennifer Brasch, RN, BSN, CPN
4west-Egleston, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA
Katherine Morris, RN, BSN
5east-Egleston, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA
Linda Gioncardi, RN, BSN, CPN
4east- Egleston, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA

Learning Objective 1: Describe the benefits of developing and presenting Nursing Grand Rounds.

Learning Objective 2: Identify a method for learning in the acute care setting that promotes collaboration of nursing expertise, collegiality and professionalism, and knowledge dissemination.

Introduction:Today’s dynamic healthcare environment creates an inherent expectation for practicing nurses to remain lifelong learners, use evidence for improving outcomes, and demonstrate continued competency and accountability for their practice. Nursing Grand Rounds (NGR) create learning opportunities for nurses to be able to bridge evidence into practice, as well as demonstrate competency and accountability for their practice. This presentation will describe the collaborative efforts of nurses from five specialty units within a large tertiary care pediatric hospital in developing and presenting a series of formal NGR.

Methods: Content for NGR learning events were generated, prepared, and presented quarterly by bedside nurses to their peers in a professional format. NGR lasted 2 hours and consisted of a literature review, guest/expert speaker, and case study. In addition, NGR events were simultaneously offered via Webinar to accommodate nurses who could not participate in the live audience. Participants attending the entire event were eligible for continuing education credits (CEUs).

Results: Evaluations indicated nurses valued this format for learning. A total of 7.66 CEUs were granted from NGR events held within 1 year. NGR averaged 27-28 staff in attendance per event. Planners and presenters articulated a sense of accomplishment, nursing excellence, and authority over content. A NGR committee was established to support the development and presentation of NGR on a routine basis.

Conclusion: Evaluations validated the value of NGR for participants, planners, and presenters. However, the effectiveness of this format on knowledge acquisition and practice improvement needs to be tested. A plan to conduct a study measuring nurses’ knowledge acquisition from NGR is underway by members of the NGR committee.

Implications: NGR can offer a creative method for nurses to be kept up-to-date and well-informed about evidence and knowledge unique to their patient population.

See more of: Evidence-Based Practice Posters Session 2
See more of: Oral Paper & Poster: Evidence-Based Practice Sessions